250427-Worship Bulletin

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: Zephaniah 3:14-17

Minister: Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

People: The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.

Minister: On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.

People: The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;

Minister: he will rejoice over you with gladness;

People: he will quiet you by his love;

Unison: he will exult over you with loud singing.

*Hymn of Adoration: “Rejoice, the Lord Is King” (No. 310)

1 Rejoice, the Lord is King:
your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks, and sing,
and triumph evermore.

Refrain:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

2 Jesus the Savior reigns,
the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains,
he took his seat above. [Refrain]

3 His kingdom cannot fail,
he rules o'er earth and heav'n;
the keys of death and hell
are to our Jesus giv'n. [Refrain]

4 He sits at God's right hand
till all his foes submit,
and bow to his command,
and fall beneath his feet. [Refrain]

5 Rejoice in glorious hope!
Our Lord, the Judge, shall come,
and take his servants up
to their eternal home. [Refrain]

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Prayer

Unison: Great Jehovah, Mighty Father, the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: we praise you! When we consider the heavens, the moon and the stars you have set in place, we are amazed that you are mindful of us, that you care for us. And though you dwell in a high and holy place, you also make your home with those who are lowly and contrite in heart. We thank you that your Son, Emmanuel, came to earth and dwelt among us; that he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Humble us, Father, and draw us near to you. May we ever dwell in your shelter, O Most High. Amen.

*Confession of Faith: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 122

Minister: What is the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer?

People: Hallowed be your name. That is: Grant us first of all that we may rightly know you, and sanctify, glorify, and praise you in all your works, in which shine forth your almighty power, wisdom, goodness, righteousness, mercy, and truth. Grant us also that we may so direct our whole life–our thoughts, words, and actions–that your name is not blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised.

Unison: Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

*Gloria (Tune: “Gloria Patri, Greatorex”)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen. Amen.

Psalter Reading: Psalm 113

*Hymn of Response: “My God, How Wonderful Thou Art” (No. 35, Tune: “St. Anne”)

1 My God, how wonderful thou art,
thy majesty how bright!
How beautiful thy mercy seat,
in depths of burning light!

2 Wondrous are thine eternal years,
O everlasting Lord,
by holy angels day and night
unceasingly adored!

3 O how I fear thee, living God,
with deepest, tend'rest fears,
and worship thee with trembling hope,
and penitential tears.

4 Yet I may love thee too, O Lord,
almighty as thou art;
for thou hast stooped to ask of me
the love of my poor heart.

5 No earthly father loves like thee,
no mother half so mild
bears and forbears, as thou hast done
with me, thy sinful child.

6 How wonderful, how beautiful,
the sight of thee will be,
thine endless wisdom, boundless pow'r,
and awesome purity!

Prayers of Praise and Thanksgiving

Unison: We extol you, our God and King. Every day we will bless you, and we will praise your name forever and ever. For you are great and greatly to be praised.

Minister: One generation shall commend your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts. They will speak of the might of your awesome deeds, pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness, and sing aloud of your righteousness.

People: For you, Lord, are gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. You are good to all, and your mercy is over all you have made.

Minister: You are faithful in all your words.

People: You are kind in all your works.

Minister: You are righteous in all your ways.

People: We thank you that you uphold us when we are falling and raise us up when we are bowed down.

Minister: We thank you for providing all we need.

People: We thank you for being near to us when we call on you in truth.

Minister: We thank you that you hear the cry of those who fear you and that you save them.

Unison: Therefore, our mouths will speak your praises, O Lord, and we will bless your holy name forever and ever. Amen.

From Psalm 145

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Assurance

Minister: Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33:20-22)

*Hymn of Thanksgiving: “O God beyond All Praising” (No. 660)

1 O God beyond all praising, we worship you today
and sing the love amazing that songs cannot repay;
for we can only wonder at every gift you send,
at blessings without number and mercies without end:
we lift our hearts before you and wait upon your word,
we honor and adore you, our great and mighty Lord.

2 Then hear, O gracious Savior, accept the love we bring,
that we who know your favor may serve you as our King;
and whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill,
we'll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still:
to marvel at your beauty and glory in your ways,
and make a joyful duty our sacrifice of praise.
CCLI 3036374

Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology (Tune: “Old Hundredth”)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Amen.

*Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: Matthew 18:1-6

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “The Greatest in the Kingdom” (Rev. Seth Wallace)

*Hymn of Response: “Take My Life, and Let It Be” (No. 585)

1 Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2 Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee,
swift and beautiful for thee.

3 Take my voice, and let me sing,
always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee,
filled with messages from thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold;
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use
ev'ry pow'r as thou shalt choose,
ev'ry pow'r as thou shalt choose.

5 Take my will, and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne,

*The Benediction

Postlude